Ibuprofen affects pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine production by mononuclear cells of preterm newborns

The in vitro effect of ibuprofen (IB) on the production of the proinflammat ory cytokines interleukin (IL) 1 beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alph a (TNF-alpha) and the antiinflammatory cytokine IL-10 by cord blood mononuc lear cells from preterm newborns was compared to that of peripheral blood m ononuclear cells of adults. Mononuclear cells were incubated without or wit h lipopolysaccharide in the absence or presence of various concentrations o f IB. The levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IL-10 in the supernatan ts were tested by ELISA. The mononuclear cells from the two groups responde d to IB by an increased secretion of IL-6 and TNF-alpha and by a reduced pr oduction of IL-10. The pattern of response to the drug was similar followin g stimulation with lipopolysaccharide. The IL-1 beta production was mostly unaffected by IB. It is suggested that in preterm newborns the differences observed in the in vitro proinflammatory cytokine production in response to IB, as observed in the present study, or to indomethacin, as reported prev iously, may affect various clinical outcomes using these two drugs. Copyrig ht (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.